From Spore to Mushroom 



it grows, and comes out of the ground a round puffball. (See 

 Plate opposite p. 124.) 



If one wishes to learn to distinguish the members of the 

 mushroom or toadstool family, either 

 for the pleasure he may derive from 

 ^MW^i0M, '• knowing them, or from a desire to 

 ^SpflgSua distinguish the edible from the poison- 



'"^SBfW ous ' ^ e must 

 * ~sSt~SSW b e f a m i 1 i a r ,<. , - ,- 

 JV*_ssSaSmH w j tn t h e typi- 

 cal parts of the | IjjHOii" " Caf> 



Puffball {m f S P' ant ' ^™fe""f - RinR 



and must W '|fflW / 

 know the names of these parts. | jfjHP*^/ 



The edible mushroom of the market 

 (Agaricus campestris) 



serves well for study, f: * • '■ ■■ Su ' m 



veil J. ■{jf'onZ&iW as it shows some of f\ n ^ ,, 



the characteristics 

 which all the toad- 

 ! " " VJ stools, mushrooms, brackets, and puffballs 



have in common. 



(1) This mushroom is in shape some- 

 thing like a parasol. 



(2) The handle is the stem, or stipe. 



(3) The open top is the cap, or pileus. 



(4) Under Sp|^ 



tiklmk tne ca P' racn - 



: ' ; '•""'" ating from ;^ 



the stalk to Rin g. /^*» 



Spores on , , c 



slender processes the edge 01 f i ';' I < i.J 



the cap, are 

 »*r „ ,. , , , thin plates — the gills, or lamellae. 



" "' '' Mycelial thr'-ads r a > 



(5) When the mushroom is in 

 shortceiis the button stage, the gills are not 



_. . , . . .. visible, for they are covered with 



-Club-shaped bodies J 



a thin sheet of mycelial threads, 

 Section across gill (magnified) called the veil. (See coloured plate 



of Agaricus campestris.') 

 (6) As the button grows the veil stretches, and finally breaks, 



12 



